Pub/Bar Lodges

[NY.Light]

Are there masonic lodges, in the US or beyond, that meet in bars/pubs? I read that the this was how lodges meet before 1717, when four lodges united to form the first Grand Lodge. Is this still in practice, or have lodges normalized to meeting only in lodge buildings?

 

[Brother JC]

They met in rooms above the tavern, not actually in it. It would be the same as a private dining room in a restaurant today.
Many lodges in Scotland have a full-service bar in their buildings. The US still suffers from dry counties and failed Prohibition mentality.


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[cemab4y]

The National Grand Lodge of France, in Neuilly (suburban Paris) France, has a full service bar in the basement. I attended lodge in their building several times in 1986. Unhappily, the GLNF has been declared clandestine, and is no longer in communications with the Mother Grand Lodge in England. :-(

 

[NY.Light]

I thought I had read that GLNF had restored recognition with UGLE, and a number of US lodges, including the Grand Lodge of NY here.

 

[cemab4y]

Last I heard, the GLNF was on the "outs". If their recognition has been restored, then great, when I lived in Paris (1986-1987) there were five grand lodges in France. Only the GLNF was recognized by the mother Grand Lodge at that time.

 

[NY.Light]

http://www.ugle.org.uk/about/foreign-grand-lodges

At the bottom of the description. Recognition restored immediately as of June 11,2014, by Grand Lodges of England, Ireland, and Scotland.

 

[Brother JC]

NYLight is correct, the GLNF has been returned to amity with UGLE.
For severs years I've had this working daydream of a little inn with a simple lodgeroom upstairs. Depending on the furnishings, it could even serve as a museum by day.


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[dfreybur]

As Masonry expanded in the US frontier in the 1800s lodges built their own buildings and that started the US tradition of no longer meeting in taverns. Mix this with WWI rationing and the popularity of prohibition movements in that time range and the result is drink no longer happened at meetings. That's still the trend today though there are exceptions. US lodge meetings are mostly dry and in some states all dry. It's part of why the Shrine became popular in the US and it took a very long time for it to become popular anywhere else.

A tiled meeting with a meal and drinks, like the original foundation in taverns, is called a Table Lodge. Some US jurisdictions do them dry toasting with apple juice. Some US jurisdictions don't offer Table Lodge. If you ever have the chance to go to one, definitely go.

TO lodges tend to have an Agape after the Stated, with dinner and drinks-where-allowed. Also similar, also recommended by me.